Consider making your stay in South Beach, where an unending strip of smooth sand beach runs across a main strip from a host of charming Art Deco hotels. Stop by the Delano Hotel for at least a libation-the breathtaking lobby with its tall columns and billowing floor-to-ceiling curtains is unforgettable.
Enjoy one of the best spectator sports towns in America by taking in a pro football (Dolphins), basketball (Heat) or baseball (Marlins) game. For something more unusual, head to Dania Jai-Alai in Dania Beach (about 30 minutes' drive north), where the world's fastest sport can be seen-and wagered upon.
Visit the pedestrian-only section of Lincoln Beach (between Washington and Lenox Avenues), a hip and trendy neighborhood boasting fun shops and chic cafés. Its best seen at night when lights fill the trees and the city's 'beautiful people' hit the clubs. For a superb seafood dinner stop by Pacific Time, an acclaimed Pan-Asian restaurant that serves some of the best food in town.
Lovers of contemporary art will not want to miss the Miami Art Museum, a treasure trove of modern works that also focuses on the area's Latino and Caribbean ties. The MAM is located at the Miami-Dade Cultural Center, where the Historical Museum of Southern Florida is another worthwhile stop.
Still somewhat of an "unknown" attraction, the Ancient Spanish Monastery cloisters is one of the oldest buildings-if not the oldest-in America, and gorgeous and memorable visit in North Miami Beach. The structure was originally built in Spain's Segovian province in 1133 and moved to its present site in 1954. It is open on Sunday afternoons to the public.
Savor one of the most regal retreats imaginable-the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a stunning Gilded Age-era mansion and adjoining gardens that are open to the public 364 days a year. The amazing grounds include a subtropical forest and many fountains.
See some amazing animals up close and personal at the Miami Seaquarium on Biscayne Bay. Killer whale, sea lion and dolphin shows are constantly taking place. Sea turtles and manatees are among the many water creatures on display, and you can even experience the thrill of swimming with live dolphins!
